SPOKANE, Wash. — Wasp and yellow jackets are an annoying part of spring and summertime.
Experts say it’s not uncommon to see the insects this early.
“Mostly what we're seeing right now are the wasps. The yellow jackets haven't had a chance to get real established yet," said Kenny Bartlett with Pointe Pest control.
What can you do to protect yourself from a wasp or yellow jacket attacking you? Berlett said not to swing at them.
“They're not aggressive unless made to be aggressive," he said.
Bartlett said it's best to just try walking away if you do come across one. He said yellow jackets and wasps are protein hunters and can smell what you might be grilling about 200 yards away.
"If you're trying to enjoy a hamburger and there's a yellow jacket nest close, they are going to be all over you. A pest company like us can treat a yellow jacket nest so long as we know where it is," he said.
The insects themselves are also different. Bartlett said wasps are like super models with a skinny waist and long yellow legs and yellow jackets are bigger with short legs.
"They're both serious, but a yellow jacket over a wasp is a way bigger deal," he said.
If you're looking to protect your home from these unfriendly insects, Bartlett said it can be done.
"Wasps we can do preventative maintenance by treating the eves of the house and making it a very foul place for the wasps to want to live. The yellow jackets on the other hand, there's no predicting where they're going to be. So all you can do is set out traps right now and trying to catch as many of the queens as you can," he said.